Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	book_n	life_n	write_v	4,779	5	6.1891	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A04284	The true guide to glory A sermon preached at Plympton-Mary in Deuon, at the funerals of the right vvorshipfull, and ...	Barlow, John, b. 1580 or 81.	1619 (1619)	STC 1440; ESTC S114791	30,821	66

full of milke and their bones runne full of marrow Ier. 5.28 they are waxen fat and shining But where grace entreth like a pinching frost it maketh the flesh wither and fall freezeth the very marrow and congealeth the fatnesse so that the body often is weake and pineth away Psal 39.11 3. That much goods and Grace are not inseparable companions These two meete not as the Sunne and Moone runne their course night and day in one and the same subiect Therefore saith our Lord Matth. 19.23 How hardly shall a rich man enter into the kingdome of heauen and be saued Sometimes we grant they may but seldome It is said that Naaman the Syrian 2 Kings 5.1 was a mighty man and valiant but a Leper great for riches peraduenture valiant for body so that it may proue this at the least the former Doctrine But what rich or strong man amongst vs beleeues this report 4. That wicked persons often prosper Their Bullocke gendreth and faileth not Iob 21.8 9. c. Their Cow calueth and casteth not her Calfe They send foorth their children like sheepe and their Sonnes daunce Their Seede is established and they grow vp in wealth 5. That not to be afflicted is a marke of the wicked They haue no changes therefore they feare not God Psal 55.19 whereas the godly are chastened euery morning else bastards not sonnes Heb. 12.8 6. That peace in death is no sure signe of a better life They that liue like Lyons and dye like Lambs may not haue their names writ in the Lambes Booke of life But if a good life be the Antecedent this no bad but a desireable consequent this crosseth the iudgement of the common people Oh say some how quietly he dyed But I say how well hath hee liued Let vs then iudge men by their liues not by their deaths lest we acquit the guilty and condemne the innocent For all outward things come alike to all men iust or vniust This is one of those euils Eccles 9.1.2.3 that the wise man saw vnder the Sunne Againe from their Effects or Actions might many things be obserued as 1. That when wicked men haue most then they sinne most Hence it is that some hauing much money turne biting Vsurers and deuoure by oppression The bountifulnesse of God towards them doth not though indeede it ought leade them to repentance Rom. 2.4 And from the foure following accidents we note a foure-fold instruction First that notwithstanding the wicked be rich and strong yet they stand vpon a sandy foundation They are set on slippery places either vpon the Ice on the which if they slippe or it breake they be drowned spoyled or vpon a Quag-mire that is growne ouer with a thin skinne through which if they shrinke they sticke fast and are all be-mudded Secondly that wicked men shall dye certainly and suddenly Iob 12.2 in a moment the Text saith They spend their dayes in pleasure and suddenly goe downe to the graue Thirdly that prophane persons shall rise and come to iudgement And lastly that at the day of iudgement they shall haue their full torment Dan. 12.1 For they shall rise to shame and contempt eternall And thus we leaue them where God shall leaue them wishing their harmes may make vs to beware And so proceede we to the godly person of whom wee haue many things to say but because time will not permit vs we will omit them onely reducing them to these heads 1. A Conflict and 2. The Issue of it In this Combat note 1. Who they be that quarrell 2. The causes of it It is the Flesh and Spirit Faith and Infidelity that striue these twins are in euery regenerate person man or woman Sinne must not be counted as a meere priuation or nothing but we must conceiue of it as a strong man or corroborated habit Rom. 7.24 c. The ground of the quarrell groweth either from the fell opposition that is betwixt them for these are contrary one to the other Gal. 5.17 or the diuers condition of the wicked and the godly When the prophane man prospereth and the righteous are in aduersity it worketh strangely euen in the most sincere hearted Therefore the wicked are counted blessed For they that worke wickednesse Mal. 3.15 they are set vp and such as tempt God they are deliuered From this consideration this good mans steps had almost slipt and he embraced the world yet he hauing recourse to the word of God saw his owne folly and their miserable end so that though the combat for a time was fierce and the issue thereof doubtfull notwithstanding Faith preuaileth at the length and winnes the field triumphing with this confession Lord thou wilt guide me c. But before wee come to the words let vs obserue some things by the way And here we may see that 1. The prosperity of the wicked fretteth the godly There is a secret enmity betweene the seede of the Woman and the Serpents Also that 2. In the time of temptation the flesh will play its part Furthermore that 3. He that would see the present and future condition of good and bad must haue recourse to Gods word not flocke to the Stage or prophane History for they may deceiue this Booke cannot And so we come to the words in hand the which haue a double reading at the least Some reade them prayer-wise Lord guide me c. But I rather choose to reade them as a Confession being a speech of great reioycing and a declaration of the fruit of his faith that followed this great and terrible combat In the which we may obserue a double proposition and in either of them two principall things comprehended In the antecedent part this good man saith First that the Lord will guide him Secondly he acknowledgeth wherewith viz. by his counsell In the cons●quent proposition hee conf●sseth that he will also glorifie him and telleth the time when or order how after he had guided him by his counsell Thus you see the parts of it Now we come to shew you the meaning or sense of the words Thou that is GOD Father Sonne and holy Spir●t for all three consent in euery action done towards the creature what one doth all doe mediately or immediately yet in a diuers manner God the Father is said to guide by the word Christ by his example and the Spirit by immediate motions and irradiations iniected vpon mans vnderstanding yet with one ioynt consent all tend to one and the same thing There be Relatiue properties in the Deity that are peculiar to the distinct persons As the Father to beget the Sonne to be begotten and the Spirit to proceede but these wee speake of are internall not externall actions vpon the creature Shalt or wilt This word containeth in it the faith and confidence of the person how that hee did depend vpon God and assure himselfe that he would be his guide for future

Cast not the statutes of God behinde your backes neither be abashed to liue by the booke for to liue by Gods booke is to liue by his command and he that doth so shall neuer be ashamed The braue men of our dayes may laugh you to scorne thinke it too much precisenesse rend the booke of God like the vaile of the Temple from the top to the bottome But when death draweth neere the doores and Christ shall call vs to an account I doubt not but such will wish they had had a greater care to haue walked in thy steps and with all their hearts would change their owne for thy condition But till then thou canst not apprehend the rich fruit of thy walkings neither they the fearefull effects that shall follow their wandrings And now the fourth and last doctrine to be handled we gather from the Connexion or knitting together of the parts which is that Doct. 4 They who here on Earth are guided by Gods Counsell shall when their changing comes be receiued into Glory They and none but they Psal 1.1.2 Blessed is the man saith the Psalmist that doth not walke in the counsell of the wicked nor stand in the way of sinners nor sit in the seate of the scornefull But hath his delight in the Law of Iehouah and in his Law doth meditate day and night And is this Blessednesse perfect here on earth No 1 Cor. 13.9.10 c. Psal 16. vlt. why then they shall haue it in the fulnesse thereof in the world to come Are we not bid to inquire of the old way which is the good way and to walke therein Ier 6.16 and wee shall find rest to our soules Rest not corporall or temporall but spirituall and eternall may well be vnderstood for they that die in the Lord are said to rest from their labours But this point is more easily proued then credited and better beleeued then practised yet take a Reason or two further to confirme the one and perswade the other Reason 1 Why is not Gods word and counsell the plaine path and rode way to the kingdome of glory Prou. 2.10.11 3.15.16 17.18 He that would trauell to London if he find out the true way and walke therein shall he not come to it at the last for the City will not be remoued So hee that doth know the right path to this Countrey which is aboue 1 Cor 9.26 2 Tim. 4.7.8 let him trauell on therein and he shal assuredly come to it at his iourneyes end God will not giue his children a crooked rule There be but two things for to conduct vs to this Kingdome and are not both expresly conteined in his Counsell Ioh 3.16 The one is To beleeue in Christ for so we be iustified Rom. 8.1 and placed in the right path The other is The precept after which if wee walke wee shall certainly finish our iourney with Glory Reason 2 Againe the Lord is true of his promise he cannot deny himselfe Iosh 21. vlt. 2 Tim. 2.13 therefore if we keepe the condition the Lord will accomplish what he hath promised If any man should say vnto me Sir inquire the way that leades to my house and come to my home and you shall haue all kinde entertainment Now if I should accomplish his command in seeking out the path and passe on vntill I come to his habitation what if then I be not entertained were not the fault in him that promised me this kindnes But God is not like man for let vs walke towards heauen till death the Gates of heauen shall not be shut 1 Thes 5.24 but open for faithfull is he that hath promised who will also doe it Vse 1 And may not this doctrine first informe vs what to thinke of the best Heathen who euer liued and many too in our dayes Act. 17.30 Gal 6.16 Heb 4 2. 1 P●t 4.17 that were neuer guided by this Rule For the one sort we deny not but God can worke extraordinarily but for the other who haue had the kingdome of Christ come to their doores yet would not giue it the least entertainment or be ruled by it shall we not feare if not certainly conclude that they are vtterly depriued of the glory of God And I pray that there might be none such in this place and congregation But if there be let that person know that one day his ignorance and carelesse neglect of the glorious Gospel shall deeply be laid to his charge Vse 2 Besides here we are instructed in the right way how to be blessed for euer Cast off therefore the wayes and workes of darkenesse take the narrow path that leadeth to this eternall weight of glory Turne seeing the Lord in mercy doth affoord you time and meanes and be no more seduced or led out of the way We would all of vs when our pilgrimage is at an end be receiued into glory why then let vs not follow the fashions of this euill world step after a multitude to doe wickedly obey sinne in the lusts of it or be guided by the Prince that ruleth in the children of disobedience But learne the reuealed counsell of the Lord take straight steps to our feete so shall we at the time of this our change be receiued from earth into that place which is full of glory and that shall haue no end For Gal. 6.16 as many as walke according to this Rule Peace shall be vpon them with mercy and vpon the whole Israel of God Vse 3 And may not this encourage all that haue begun well not to grow weary or faint in the way but to go on vndaunted and with a Christian resolution You therefore that are or may be Maiors or Gouernours of Townes and Cities haue you begun with Nehemiah to build and guide the Lords people why faint not let not such men as you flee goe not into the idols Temple to liue let no burdens be borne on the Sabboath set peace and remoue oppression amongst them committed to your charge Let not sinne goe vnpunished godlinesse be vnrewarded or your high callings by your slacknesse be abused It was Dauids prize and praise not that the Lord chose him Psal 78.70 tooke him from the flockes of sheepe 71. following the ewes with yong to feede Iacob his people and Israel his possession but in this that he fed them according to the perfection of his heart 72. and led them by the discretion of his hands He that did this is now in glory and they that tread in his steps shall assuredly 2 Tim. 4.8 when they haue ended and serued thus their time be receiued and glorified with him And you Right Worshipfull whom God hath made great in the Countrey and Common-weale take heed what ye doe Let Ioshua his resolution be yours whatsoeuer others haue done or may doe Doe you Iosh 24.15 and your people serue the Lord. It 's your goodnesse that one